AFTER HOURS Review On "Violent Maniac's Cage"

AFTER HOURS

(1985, USA)

DIRECTED BY: Martin Scorsese

STARRING: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Verna Bloom, Tommy Chong, Linda Fiorentino, Teri Garr, John Heard, Cheech Marin, Catherine O'Hara, Dick Miller, Will Patton, Robert Plunket, Bronson Pinchot, Rocco Sisto, Larry Block.

Enjoyable and bizarre black comedy from movie making maestro Martin Scorsese was one interesting trip. Some scenes are just strange for no reason while the movie is notable for its fast pacing and lack of logic but its compelling enough to rise above these flaws and result in something people will enjoy if they are in the mood for something different. Griffin Dunne, who I've always liked in American Werewolf In London is a computer operator who is obviously lonely and looking for someone "special" to hook up with. One night Dunne meets a young woman played by Rosanna Arquette in a cafe and she gives him her phone number, he then goes home and calls her. Dunne's night will never be the same as he loses his cab fare before arriving to his destination. Dunne meets up with Arquette's interesting roommate played by Linda Fiorentino until she arrives herself. After this everything goes wrong for Dunne as he has an argument with Arquette and tries to leave but can't because subway fare just happened to go up. He goes back to apologize to Arquette and finds her dead body lying on a bed holding an empty bottle of pills. Besides this he's accused of being a burglar and hunted down by the neighborhood locals headed by a crazy ice cream lady in her truck played by Catherine O'Hara. He meets up with bar owner John Heard and waitress Terri Gar who are quite interesting to say the least, he must hide in a paper mache sculpture and he keeps having run ins with Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong who are art stealing crooks. All the characters are what make the film enjoyable and you really appreciate Dunne's nice and regular guy role who only wants to go home. Some memorable scenes include Dunne putting up arrow signs leading to Arquette's Body for the police to find her and Dunne witnessing a murder and just ignoring it being pissed off with everything and not caring anymore. The scene where Dunne explains his night is one of the best with the stage-like stand up comedy lights hanging in the background. The ending is brilliant and really makes you chuckle to yourself. Its less violent compared to Scorsese's other work. A nice quirky and appealing film.

Rating: 4 Skulls

Review by: Richard J. Taylor

Email: rtaylor@roadrunner.nf.net

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